


Storm

by blowinduck



Series: Rush minific Series [17]
Category: Formula 1 RPF, Rush (2013)
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Launt, M/M, Post-Nürburgring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2016-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 10:48:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6076479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blowinduck/pseuds/blowinduck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The thunder that followed made Niki gasp and close his eyes tightly, taking his hand away. James couldn't help to hate himself for that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Storm

James opened his eyes slowly in the blinding darkness.

A lightning fell, painting the tiny room in a silver flash as rain filled the night with its incessant sound.

Bloody London storms, he thought as he closed his eyes.

A lightning fell again, its thunder making the window rattle noisily.

He turned on his side, extending a hand to bring Niki’s warm body towards him...but his hand fell on the empty mattress.

He opened his eyes at that, automatically feeling for the switch of the bedside lamp. When he pressed it he found the electricity had been cut out.

Great

"Niki?" He called out, his voice rusty and rough with sleep.

It took a lightning falling thunderously across the sky for him to catch sight of Niki. He was seated with his knees to his chest on the far corner of the room, his face hidden behind folded arms; the sound of the thunder tensed up even more his shoulders, a hand gripping viciously strands of his unkempt hair.

James pushed the bed covers away, the mattress creaking under his weight as he crossed it and got up on the other side.

Raindrops trickled angrily against the window as he knelt in front of Niki, carefully covering the hand that was gripping strands of brown curls with his own. Niki jumped a little at his touch and James felt a pang of sorrow that he ignored in favour of gently disentangle that hand, keeping it securely between his.

"Niki," James said softly.

Another lightning fell and Niki tensed. The hand that was in James' grasp shook minutely and he tried to yank it away, but James gripped it stronger.

"Niki, love," He tried again, putting a hand over one of his shoulders. "Look at me, please,"

Minutes passed in tense beats until Niki lifted his face. His skin was almost as pale as a sheet and a deep frown stilled his darkened blue eyes. A lightning fell then, bringing out the roughness of the scars that covered his forehead and side of his head.

The thunder that followed made Niki gasp and close his eyes tightly, taking his hand away. James couldn't help to hate himself for it.

He had felt sick with guilt when he heard about Niki and his accident at the Nürburgring; he had felt aimless and lost for the following weeks between sleepless nights, meaningless races and crumpled sheets with a letter that was never read; he had almost fell on his knees in relief when he saw the crowds outside the Ferrari pit and had been later awed and marvelled at Niki's  sheer strength and courage during the race; he had felt humbled and thoroughly surprised when Niki had kissed him back so many nights ago and it made him truly happy that this man had accepted to form part of his life.

But that happiness was tinted with impotence and frustration during times like this; when the brave and strong man that still raced cars fearlessly was reduced to a trembling and scared mess through storms, and James nearly went crazy with pain because he had caused all this.

"Niki," he felt himself say past the lump in his throat. "It’s fine, love," he continued as he caressed Niki's  hair in a way he hoped was soothing. "Everything’s fine."

The sky rumbled above them and Niki opened his eyes; the blue in them thunderous and volatile as the storm outside, but it were not as distant as it had looked before.

James took that look as incentive and gave Niki a tiny smile; passing the back of his hand against his cheeks, feeling wetness along the raspiness of stubble against his skin.

Niki let out a shaky breath; tilting his face to the touch and inhaling deeply against the back of James' wrist.

After a couple of breaths, Niki opened his eyes and grounded James to the floor with the intent of his gaze before he wordlessly disentangled himself and pulled James towards him by his wrist.

Niki then pressed their lips together, hesitant as if he needed reassurance of who he was. James let him; moving in its warmth when Niki moved and hanging on its edge when Niki stilled under his hands, taking a parting breath to then bury his face on James’ neck. James enveloped him in a hug.

It only took a rumbling lightning to set Niki loose; quiet sobs that almost got lost amidst the rain making him shake feebly in his arms, his hands curling and gripping James' shirt tightly.

James tightened his arms around him, closed his eyes and remained there; hoping that someday his love would be enough to fix everything and heal Niki's wounds.


End file.
